Folding flexible partition



SePt- 6, 1955 D. M BRESLOW ET A1. 2,717,033

FOLDING FLEXIBLE PARTITION Filed Feb. 11, 195o 2 sheets-sheet 1 A l M/WMIN1/:M7095:

/0 45 DON/up M. BQKSLOW Eye OPM/vn 5c/155mm sept. 6, 1955 Filed Feb.1].-I 1950 D. M. BRI-:SLOW ET AL 2,717,033

FOLDING FLEXIBLE PARTITION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f/vL/E/s/Tops: 50m/44.0 M.BAPESLOW OPL/mw 5. 50mm/@Lp E Ml United States Patent() FOLDING FLEXIBLEPARTITION Donald M. Breslow, Beverly Hills, and Orland S. Schesvold, LosAngeles, Calif., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Donald M. Breslow,Los Angeles, Calif., doing business as The Curtition Co.

Application February 11, 1950, Serial No. 143,714

Claims. (Cl. 160--84) This invention relates to improvements inpartitions and, more particularly, to partitions ofthe characterincluding an internal extensible-retractable frame and sides composed offlexible material.

Partitions of the character with which our invention is concernedgenerally include an internal frame which is movable between a first,retracted position and a plurality of intermediate positions. to asecond, extended position, said frame having attached on opposite sidesthereof exible sides of material which substantially follow theconfiguration of the frame as it is extended and retracted. They aregenerally used to separate one room from another or to divide a roominto a plurality of areas. In conventional partitions of theaforementioned character, the material comprising the flexible sidesthereof is so secured to the frame that the opening and closing of thepartition cause the sides to be subjected to excessive wear resulting inthe ultimate cracking and fraying of the material at critical wearpoints. This excessive wear is a result of attaching the sides of thepartition to the frame at a plurality of points between the top andbottom of the frame.

It is, therefore, a primary object of our invention to provide apartition of the aforementioned character in which only the upper andlower edges of the flexible sides of the partition are secured to theframe and in which, consequently, the intermediate portions of theflexible sides are free from attachment to the frame. As a result ofthis method of attachment, the flexible sides of the partition are notso intimately and tightly connected to the frame that the opening andclosing of the partition cause cracking and wear of the flexible sides.In addition, a very pleasing appearance results from the free fall ofthe flexible material of the sides between the top and bottom of theframe.

An additional object of our invention, is the provision of a partitionof the aforementioned type in which the upper and lower edges of theflexible sides thereof are not directly attached to the top and bottomof the frame but are secured to intermediate supporting members whichare positioned over the top and bottom of the frame and which permit theintermediate portions of the sides of the partition between the top andbottom edges thereof to be free of any connection to the frame itself.

An additional object of our invention is the provision in a partition ofthe aforementioned type of supporting means for the flexible sides ofthe partition which are constituted by saddles positioned over the topand bottom of the frame of the partition to permit the top and bottomedges of the llexible sides of the partition to be secured thereto.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a frame for apartition of the aforementioned type which includes a top frame memberand a bottom frame member, said top and bottom frame members beingconstituted by a plurality of hinge leaves which are joined to eachother by hinge pintles and which are so formed that the maximum angleincluded therebetween when said partition is in its second, extendedposition is approximately ninety degrees An additional object of ourinvention is the provision of a partition of the aforementioned type inwhich each of said hinge means of said top and bottom frame members hasdisposed thereupon one of the supporting saddles for the sides of saidpartition.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification and accompanying drawings, which are for thepurpose of illustration only, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a partition conv structed inaccordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, partly sectional view taken on the broken line2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional View taken on the broken line 3 3 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, partly sectional view taken from the brokenline 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail of the hinge construction of the top andbottom frame members;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view showing the appearance of the partition in itssecond, extended position;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view showing the appearance of the partition in itsfirst, retracted position; and

Figs. 8 through 12 are end elevational views showing the method by whichthe component parts of the partition are assembled.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. l thereof, we show apartition 10 which is disposed in an opening 11 between two rooms andwhich is adapted to be positioned in a first, retracted position, asindicated in Fig. 7 of the drawings, and a second, extended position, asindicated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The partition 10 includes aninterior frame 13 consisting of an upper frame member 14 and a lowerframe member 15. The upper and lower frame members 14 and 15 areidentical in configuration and are constituted by a plurality of hingeleaves 16 pivotally joined to each other at their ends by pintles 17.When the partition 10 is in the second, extended position adjoininghinge leaves include an angle of approximately 90 as indicated by theline A of Fig. 6 of the drawings.

Formed upon the ends of the hinge leaves 16 and being adapted tointermesh with each other for the reception of the pintles 17 are hingeears 18. Adjacent hinge ears 18 of the leaves 16 are provided withcontiguous stop portions 19 and 20, Fig. 5, which coact to limit theextension of the top and bottom frame members 14 and 15 beyond a pointwhere the included angle between the hinge leaves 16 would be greater orless than approximately 90. Of course, though we show the partition 10as having upper and lower frame members 14 and 15, the component leavesof which are prevented from opening beyond a point at which they includean angle of approximately 90, it is possible to modify the dimensions ofthe stop portions 19 and 20 of the hinge ears 18 to permit the extensionof the partition 10 in such a manner that the included angle between thehinge leaves 16 will be much greater or smaller than 90.

Positioned between and having their opposite ends connected tooppositely disposed hinge leaves 16 of the top and bottom frame members14 and 15 are vertical stiffeners 22 and 23 which are secured to thehinge leaves 16 by means of rivets 24, or similar fasteners. Thestiffeners 22 and 23 serve to equalize the movement of the top andbottom frame members 14 and 15 in reference to each other bytransmitting the movement of the hinge leaves 16 thereof from one to theother.

The innermost of the hinge leaves 16 of the top and bottom frame members14 and 15 have their ears 18 secured to anchor plates 26 by pintles 17,said anchor plates Patented Sept. 6, 1955v 26 being mounted on the jamb27 of the opening by means of screws 23 or similar fasteners.

A groove 30 is formed in the lintel 31 of the opening 11 and is adaptedto receive an elongated mounting bracket 33 having a longitudinal T-slot34 formed therein. A track member 35 has provided thereupon alongitudinal T-shaped projection 36 receivable in the T-slot 34 forpermitting the mounting of the track member 35 in the mounting bracket33. The track member 35 provides laterally spaced tracks 37 and 33 whichare engageable by pairs of rollers 39 and dit. Each pair of rollers 39and 4t) is journaled upon the opposite ends of a yoke 41 upon which issuspended a link 412, said linke d2 passing through an opening 43 formedin the upper edge of each alternate hinge leaf 16. ln the presentembodiment of our invention, only alternate hinge leaves 16 of the upperframe member 14 are supported upon the tracks 37 and 3S by the rollers39 and 43.

Attached to the ends of the outermost hinge leaves 16 of the top andbottom frame members 14 and 15 are the upper and lower extremities of apost d5 upon which are mounted pulls 46 adapted to permit the partition10 to be moved from its first, retracted position to its second,extended position. The post i5 may be of any desired configuration but,in the present instance, includes a member i3 havin(y a substantiallyH-shaped cross section and a mounting flange 59 engageable by pintles1'7 secured in the hinge ears 18 at the end of the leaves 16. Therefore,by grasping the pulls 46, the partition 1t) can be extended or retractedby causing the concomitant extension or retraction of the top and bottomframe members 1d and 15 while the top frame member, as supported by therollers 3S and di! upon the track member 35, is carried smoothlythereupon.

Disposed upon one side of the frame 13 is a first side or web 5t) formedof flexible material, such as a vinyl coated fabric, and disposed uponthe opposite side of the frame 13 is a second side or web 52 formed of aflexible material similar to that from which the first web Sti isformed.

Disposed upon each one of the hinge leaves 16 constituting the top andbottom frame members 1d and 15 are web supporting means 54. The websupporting means 54 are constituted by individual saddles 55 which aremade of fabric, or similar material, and which are so disposed upon theleaves 16 that, in the case of the leaves 16 which constitute the upperframe member 14, the legs 57 and 58 of the saddles 55 depend uponopposite sides of the hinge leaves, and in the case of the saddles 55which are disposed about the hinge leaves 16 constituting the bottomframe member 15, legs 57 and 58 extend upwardly on opposite sides ofsaid leaves. Those saddles 55 which are supported upon the hinge leaves16 of the upper frame member 14 have openings 59 formed therein, as bestseen in Fig. 4 of the drawing, to permit the saddles 55 to be mountedaround the links 42 and to facilitate the free movement of said links.

As best seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the upper and lower edges of theiirst web Si) are secured to the depending and upwardly extending legs57 of the saddles 55 on one side of the hinge leaves 16 of the top andbottom frame members 14 and 15. Although We have found that the mosteffective means of securing the upper and lower edges of the web Sii tothe legs 57 of the saddles 55 is by gluing said edges to said legs, anyother means of securing said edges may be utilized. In like manner, theupper and lower edges of the second web 52 are secured to the legs 3S ofthe saddles 55 on the top and bottom frame members 14 and 15.

Therefore, the saddles 55 provide the sole means of securing the firstand second webs 50 and 52 on opposite sides of the frame 13 and theintermediate portions of the webs 50 and 52 between the upper and loweredges thereof are free from attachment to the frame 13. This manner ofattachment of the webs 50 and 52 prevents undue wear occurring in thewebs 50 and 52 because of the crushing or abrasion of the fabric of thewebs between the component parts of the frame 13 and also is responsiblefor the attractive manner in which the fabric of the webs 56 and 52 isdraped upon the frame 13. It should be noted that the stiifeners 22 and23 prevent the billowing of the fabric of the webs 50 and 52 as thepartition 10 is moved between its first, retracted and second, extendedpositions and also serve to support the fabric of the webs 5t) and 52when any undue lateral loads are imposed upon the partition to preventthe inadvertent tearing thereof.

Referring to Figs. 8 to l2, in the assembly of the component parts ofthe partition, we utilize a substantially rigid form 64) which isprovided with a plurality of corrugations 62 and whose over-allconfiguration is identical with that of the configuration of thepartition 16 when the partition 1li is in its second, extended position.As the first step in our method of assembly, we dispose the first web 50upon the upper surface of the form 60. Since the iirst web 50 is formedof a plurality of widths 64 of fabric, seams 65 are present in the web50 which it is desirable to conceal as much as possible in order toprevent them from impairing the appearance of the partition. As bestseen in Fig. 9 of the drawings, the seam 65 between the width 64 of thefirst web 50 are disposed at the apices of the corrugation 62 of theform 629. The web supporting means 54, as constituted by the saddles 55,are then positioned upon the upper and lower edges of the web Sti andthe legs 57 thereof are glued, or otherwise secured to the upper andlower edges of the web.

The frame 13 is then disposed upon the inside of the web Sti in itssecond, extended position and the apices of the corrugations of theframe 13 are brought into registry with the apices of the corrugations62 of the form 66. As may be best seen from Fig. 1l, this manner ofassembling the frame 13 upon the form 60 and over the first web 50insures the proper distribution of the web 5t? in reference to the frame13 and prevents an under sized or over sized web 50 from being appliedto the frame 13.

The second web 52 is then laid upon the frame 13, the saddles 55 arefolded over the top and bottom of the frame and the legs 58 thereof aresecured to the upper and lower edges of the second web 52. As may bebest seen from Fig. l2 of the drawings, the second web 52 consists of aplurality of widths 67 which are joined to each other by means of seams68. For the aforementioned reasons, it is desirable to render the seamsas inconspicuous as possible and for this reason the seams 68 aredisposed in the bottoms of the corrugations on the side of the frame 13on which the web 52 is supported. When the web S2 is axed to the saddles55, the assembly of the partition is complete and the seams 65 and 68 ofthe webs S0 and 52, respectively, lie in the bottoms of the corrugationson opposite sides of the frame 13.

Although we have shown and described a preferred embodiment of ourinvention and the method by which it can be manufactured, it is obviousthat changes, alterations and modifications may be made in the detailsof construction and the steps of the method and we, therefore, do notdesire to be limited to the specific details but prefer, rather, to beafforded the full scope of the following claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A closure for dividing a room into a plurality of areas, comprising:a horizontal track secured adjacent the ceiling of said room; rollermeans engaging said track; an expansible-retractable frame supported onsaid 'roller means, said frame comprising an upper frame member having aplurality of hinge leaves and a lower frame member having an equalnumber of hinge leaves, each of said hinge leaves having stop means tolimit the opening movement of said hinge leaves to substantially saidhinge leaves when opened comprising a plurality of corrugations; aplurality of stitfeners attached to and extending between thecorrespondingly positioned hinge leaves of said frame members; aweb-supporting means comprising a U-shaped saddle having a pair of legsextending on the opposite sides of each of said hinge leaves; and a pairof webs attached at the opposite ends thereof to said saddle legs onopposite sides of said frame, said webs being free from attachmentintermediate their attachment to said saddle legs; a plurality of saidhinge leaves being attached to said roller means for horizontal movementof said closure along said track.

2. A closure as defined in claim l in which said webs comprise aplurality of widths of material joined edgeto-edge, with the joiningseams thereof disposed adjacent the pintles of said hinge leaves andwithin the 90 opening thereof.

3. A closure for dividing a room into a plurality of areas, comprising:a horizontal track secured adjacent the ceiling of said room; rollermeans engaging said track; an expansible-retractable frame supported onsaid roller means, said frame comprising an upper frame member having aplurality of hinge leaves and a lower frame member having an equalnumber of hinge leaves, each of said hinge leaves having stop means tolimit the opening movement of said hinge leaves to substantially 90,said hinge leaves when opened comprising a plurality of corrugations; aweb-supporting means comprising a U-shaped saddle having a pair of legsextending on the opposite sides of each of said hinge leaves; and a pairof webs attached at the opposite ends thereof to said saddle legs onopposite sides of said frame, said webs being free from attachmentintermediate their attachment to said saddle legs, a plurality of saidhinge leaves being attached to said roller means for horizontal movementof said closure along said track.

4. A closure for dividing a room into a plurality of areas, comprising:a horizontal track secured adjacent the ceiling of said room; rollermeans engaging said track; an expansible-retractable frame supported onsaid roller means, said frame comprising an upper frame member having aplurality of hinge leaves and a lower frame member having an equalnumber of hinge leaves; stop means for limiting the opening movement ofsaid hinge Yleaves to substantially said hinge leaves when openedcomprising a plurality of corrugations; a web-supporting meanscomprising a U-shaped saddle having a pair or legs extending on theopposite sides of each of said hinge leaves; and a pair of webs attachedat the opposite ends thereof to said saddle legs on opposite sides ofsaid frame, said webs being free from attachment intermediate theirattachment to said saddle legs, a plurality of said hinge leaves beingattached to said roller means for horizontal movement of said closurealong said track.

5. A closure for dividing a room into a plurality of areas, comprising:a horizontal track secured adjacent the ceiling of said room; rollermeans engaging said track; an expansible-retractable frame supported onsaid roller means, said frame comprising an upper frame member having aplurality of hinge leaves and a lower frame member having an equalnumber of hinge leaves; stop means for limiting the opening movement ofsaid hinge leaves so that said hinge leaves when opened comprise aplurality of corrugations; a web-supporting means comprising a U-shapedsaddle having a pair of legs extending on the opposite sides of each ofsaid hinge leaves; and a pair of webs attached at the opposite endsthereof to said saddle legs on-opposite sides of said frame, said websbeing free from attachment intermediate their attachment to said saddlelegs, a plurality of said hinge leaves being attached to said rollermeans for horizontal movement of said closure along said track.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,698,996 Nordell Jan. 15, 1929 1,877,829 Erlinder Sept. 20, 19321,877,950 Nordell Sept. 20, 1932 1,907,021 Vansant May 2, 1933 2,126,834Steinberger Aug. 16, 1938 2,220,939 McGuire et al Nov. 12, 19402,318,497 Kassel May 4, 1943 2,321,491 Keys et al. June 8, 19432,388,061 Isserstedt Oct. 30, 1945 2,528,829 Hintersteiner Nov. 7, 1950

